Exile - A Bionicle Story
by RyantheFilmmaker
Summary: This is a story I wrote for my Instagram and Reddit accounts, with accompanying pictures. It was pretty popular, so I figured I should share it here. In it, Toa Tahu violates the Toa Code and is cast out of Mata Nui. He tries to stay strong in the face of many dangers, all the while trying to survive his exile.
1. Chapter 1

Tahu Nuva stood on the dark, moonless, rocky shore, looking up at the dark stone tower looming over him. His job should've been an uneventful one - travel the ocean and scout out the best route for returning to the Turaga's home island of Metru Nui. Tahu had sailed north, Gali south, and Kopaka west, while Onua explored the tunnels and Lewa and Pohatu stayed behind to protect the Matoran. Tahu didn't expect to find… whatever this was.

Unsheathing his swords, he strode in through the entrance. Inside, the tower was searing with heat, and tall, bright red fires lined the walls. There were no furnishings, and the only thing of note was a spiral staircase in the center of the room. Tahu approached it and slowly reached out to touch the metal. His fingers brushed against it, and he was fully ready to yank his hand back at the searing heat.

But it was perfectly cool. Tahu grabbed the railing, making sure that it wasn't his imagination. It wasn't. Despite the heat hot enough to even make the Toa of Fire recoil, the staircase was completely cool. Cautiously, Tahu crept up the stairs. Something tricky was happening here, and he'd need to stay on guard.

The staircase rose to the ceiling, where it seemed to continue going. The issue is, it continued going straight through the ceiling. Tahu glanced around, confused. Perhaps…

Tahu pushed on the ceiling above him, revealing a hatch which creaked as it opened. A blast of comparatively frigid air greeted him. Tahu grimaced pushed it open the rest of the way, and jumped into the room.

Contrary to the shaft of the tower, this room was fully dark. Tahu couldn't see anything, at least for a moment. A few seconds later, it exploded into the same bright red light. Tahu staggered back and shielded his eyes.

When he opened them again, he saw that this room was in stark contrast to the shaft. Instead of being completely barren, lavish maroon and gold furniture laid throughout the room. Instead of the red flame shooting up in pillars from the ground, it was contained in golden lanterns hanging through the room. Underneath the only window was a bed, just as elegant as the rest of the room. Sitting on the bed was a figure, cloaked in darkness despite the lanterns. Tahu readied his swords.

"Who are you?" he demanded. The figure laughed, a shrill, chilling sound. The darkness cloaking him dissipated, revealing a red and black armored titan. His head was decorated with spikes, and two big spikes sat on his shoulders glowed red. He wore a mask, but the mask had a mouth-like hole adorned with sharp teeth. When he laughed, Tahu saw that his real mouth was filled with sharp teeth as well.

"There comes a time when that question becomes funny, after you're asked that a thousand times. You'd think word would have travelled… but no matter." The figure stood up, revealing himself to be easily twice as tall as Tahu. He grabbed a long staff which was lying across the bed, and brought it down hard onto the ground, sending up a cloud of red sparks.

The world around Tahu went black as he fell downward into an endless void.


	2. Chapter 2

Seconds later, Tahu landed mask-first in a pool of muddy water. The void around him gave way to a bright green swamp, tinged with a red light. Tahu looked up at where the sun should be. A mouth made of flames grinned back at him from the sky.

"My name is Giriin, the King of Nightmares!" It boomed from the sky, the voice deep and guttural; a far cry from the smooth but cold voice he spoke in before. The mouth sent sparks into the swamp as it spoke. "But who are you?"

Tahu raised his arm, hoping to show his enemy that he wasn't afraid. But instead of a sword, enclosed in his hand was a centipede Rahi. He shouted in surprise and threw it back on the ground. An ember from the mouth landed on it, incinerating it instantly.

"No answer? That's the right answer!" The voice became shrill and scratchy. "You are no one! An obscure hero from a secluded island, that's all. Truly depressing." Smoke rose from the plants as the embers ignited. Tahu recoiled from the scent of boiling swamp water as the smoke filled his nostrils.

"I -" Tahu began, interrupted by a fit of coughing. "I… I am Toa-" _cough_ "Tahu, leader of the Toa-" _cough, cough _"Nuva! What is this? Where am I?" he demanded.

The voice became a chilled whisper. "We are in your mind. Right now, you're lying asleep on the floor of my room, completely defenseless! Just like this image of you right now."

Tahu's armor and weapons vanished, leaving him with just his mask. The ground around him fell, revealing a hive of disgusting bug Rahi, skittering and wriggling over each other. Tahu's stomach turned at the sight, but he quickly got ahold of himself. He raised his hand, and gathering his strength, brought the flaming mouth down onto the insects, turning the hive into an incinerator.

The mouth reformed in a frown. "Ironic," it muttered, in Giriin's original voice. It was about to speak again, when Tahu raised his hand and the fire dissipated. It reformed not a second later, but Tahu snuffed it out again.

"This-" _cough_ "Is _your_ nightmare now!" Tahu shouted. Five mouths appeared, each disappearing as quickly as it formed. Dozens more appeared. One by one, they each faded, but they lasted long enough for the King to speak one more sentence.

"Then we'll try something else…"

As Tahu turned to face the last mouth, a blade of flame shot through his chest. His world went dark. Not a second later, his eyes flew open, and he lay gasping on the floor of the chamber.

"You're quite the warrior," Giriin commented. "But as they say: The bigger they are, the harder they fall!" The King kicked Tahu in the stomach as he struggled to his feet.

Tahu grunted in pain, but didn't flinch. Instead, he pushed himself off the ground. He swayed on his feet, still unsteady, but ready for a fight. Gripping his swords tight, he dashed at Giriin. The King sidestepped, but Tahu was ready. He threw one sword at his chest, knocking him off balance. Tahu swept Giriin's legs out from under him, and dust fell from the ceiling as he landed on the ground. His staff clattered when it landed a few feet away.

Giriin hurled bolts of fire at Tahu, which were blocked by an orange force field created by his mask. Giriin scrambled to grab his staff, but Tahu was faster. Tahu readied his other sword, aiming right for the red titan's shoulder. At the last moment, Giriin turned, and the blade went through his heart instead.

Tahu's anger and pride evaporated. He just killed his enemy. He wasn't supposed to do that. It was against the code.

"Well… played…" Giriin groaned, looking straight into Tahu's eyes as the life faded from his own. Tahu dropped to his knees, stunned. What could he do now? There's no place anywhere for a Toa who kills.

He left the tower shaken, not bothering to retrieve his sword from Giriin's chest. He departed the island, and headed back home, dreading what might happen next.


	3. Chapter 3

As he sailed back towards Mata Nui, a million possibilities ran through Tahu's mind. If he told them the truth, they might shun him. Then again, they might understand that he didn't mean to kill him. On the other hand, if he didn't tell anyone, it would eat away at him, worse than when he was corrupted by the Rahkshi. His final option was to never return to his island, and wander the seas until he finds somewhere else to live. The guilt would still torment him, but at least he'd never have to look his brothers in their eyes again.

Tahu began to steer the ship off its course before realizing he wouldn't be able to survive such a journey with the small amount of supplies he had.

It was decided, he guessed. He would have to tell them and pray to Mata Nui that they'd understand.

As the calm sandy beaches came into view, Tahu's stomach squirmed. He took a deep breath and swallowed his fear. It wouldn't be so bad. Gali, Onua, Kopaka… if they already got back, they'd understand. Lewa and Pohatu would, too. And the Turaga… they've gone through dark times before. Especially Vakama. They'd understand. There really wasn't anything to be afraid of.

Tahu stepped onto the beach, and though he told himself everything would be fine, a sense of foreboding washed over him. Deep down, a part of him understood that he wouldn't get out of this.

The Toa made his way to Kini Nui, where to his surprise, the other Toa and the Turaga were already gathered.

"Ah, finally," Vakama greeted him. "Welcome home, Toa of Fire."

"How was your journey?" Gali asked.

Tahu took another deep breath. "Not good," he replied.

"Why? What happened?"

"I found some sort of lair, belonging to someone who called himself the King of Nightmares. And I… I killed him."

The tension hung heavy in the air. Nobody spoke for a minute. Then, Gali spoke.

"Why?"

Tahu's heart beat rapidly. This might be his ideal scenario. They might understand.

"It wasn't intentional-" he began.

But Gali wasn't finished speaking. "Why would you even think about coming back here after that?"

Vakama spoke next. "I thought you were the leader of your team. Yet you let them down in a way no other Toa could."

A chorus of voices rose up; some disappointed and some angry. A shout from Kopaka quieted them down.

"QUIET! Now, let's not lose our heads."

Tahu breathed a sigh of relief. At least one Toa might finally listen to the end.

"Obviously, Tahu has broken the code," Kopaka continued, pacing towards the Toa of Fire. "He can't be allowed to continue acting like a Toa." Kopaka ripped Tahu's mask off.

At this, Tahu's nervousness turned to rage. "I think I should have a chance to defend myself, _fellow Toa!_" he retorted.

"Quiet, murderer!" Lewa jeered back. "Let him continue."

"Thank you, brother," Kopaka said. "Now, as I was saying, the most logical course of action… is exile."

The Toa and Turaga murmured in agreement.

"No! You can't be serious!" Tahu roared. "This isn't what you think it is!"

"It doesn't matter," Kopaka snapped. He gestured to Pohatu and Onua. "Remove his armor and his weapons." he turned to Gali and Nokama. "Stock his boat with one week's worth of supplies."

Gali and Nokama nodded, and left for Ga-Koro. Pohatu activated his Kakama and, in a flash, removed all of Tahu's Nuva armor. Onua grabbed Tahu's swords off his back, leaving him fully defenseless.

"Tahu, as per the rules of exile, you are never again to enter any space occupied by the Matoran or Toa of Mata Nui," Vakama told him as he was led back to his boat. It was barren of everything except for one oar, a canister of food, and a canister of water. Not even a bed or navigational devices, both of which were on the boat before, were left.

Tahu was shoved onto the boat, and Gali and Lewa used their powers to send the ship across the bay.

"May the Great Spirit guide you to whatever fate you deserve," Vakama called to Tahu as he floated away.


	4. Chapter 4

The vast expanse of sand and rock was hotter, dryer, and more desolate than the heart of Po-Koro's desert. His trek across it was only made more difficult by Tahu's missing mask.

Tahu's ship had washed ashore at an island he didn't know of, and had never seen even on his longest journeys. He hoped there might be some semblance of a civilisation somewhere, but as the heat of the sun and cold of the moon dug beneath his armor, he began to lose that hope.

Tahu's walking suddenly started to become more difficult, and he realised he was going uphill. His spirits ever-so-slightly lifted; he might be able to see more of this seemingly endless island.

As he walked, he noticed strange-looking rocks littering the ground. They were smooth at the base, but with three spikes jutting out at the top. They were familiar, but where had he seen them before…? Then Tahu saw a hand poking out of the ground, and it hit him.

Rahkshi. They were dead, but Tahu didn't know if it would've been worse to find a live horde. If emotionless machines with minimal needs couldn't make it across the island, how could Tahu, a complex organism with complex needs and an already-fracturing mind? The answer to that question was colder than the desert night.

Still, Tahu pushed on. He didn't know why. It would feel better to curl up next to the Rahkshi husks and wait for the sand to cover him too. But something deep down, perhaps anger, spite, or just his basic survival instincts, urged him to keep going.

It was spite, Tahu realised. If he gave up now, it would be giving into Kopaka, Vakama, Gali, and the rest. He had to stay alive, so if he ever met them again, he could prove to them that he wasn't at fault. Just thinking about that moment gave him the strength to keep on, but thinking about his once-friends also infuriated him. He kicked one of the Rahkshi's shells.

He made it three or four feet before hearing the groaning of rusted joints and the hiss of Kraata. He whirled around and saw the Rahkshi climbing out of its would-be grave, clutching its broken staff. Though sand and rust obscured most of its body, glints of red beneath gave away that this was a Turahk, a Rahkshi of Fear. Tahu raised his own weapons, a stick he found floating in the water and his oar.

The Turahk hissed and lunged at Tahu, stopping short as its atrophied knee joint gave way to the sudden strain. Tahu took the opportunity to slam his oar against the Rahkshi's head. Even in the Turahk's weakened state, it didn't even flinch from Tahu's maskless attack.

It grabbed the oar and pulled Tahu's arm close. It raised its staff, now more of a spear, and brought it down, slicing Tahu's arm off at the shoulder. Tahu screamed and recoiled, tripping over another Rahkshi shell.

Tahu tried to get up, but fell again when he instinctively tried to use his missing arm as a support. The Rahkshi tossed Tahu's arm away and advanced toward the crippled Toa. It gripped his neck and started raising him into the air. It dragged him further up the hill.

As he was dragged to the hill's crest, Tahu saw a huge canyon below. Tahu struggled against the Rahkshi's grip, but it was unwavering. As he got closer to the edge of the ravine, Tahu started to panic. Unless he could muster up enough power to roast the Kraata, he could never hope to beat the Turahk. He gathered up what energy he had left.

In a haze of hunger, anger, fear, and confusion, Tahu engulfed the Rahkshi in flames. The beast faltered, and Tahu squirmed free of its grip. He grabbed its spear from it and stabbed it behind its knee. The Rahkshi stumbled and fell down the chasm, landing in a small river at the bottom. Tahu knelt down at the edge and breathed a sigh of relief. It was defeated - not dead, but defeated.

As he knelt, the sand beneath him gave way, and he was sent hurtling into the water below.


	5. Chapter 5

The water hit him like an avalanche on Mt. Ihu, but Tahu didn't hit the river's bottom. The already dark and murky water got even darker as Tahu sank down into it. He was still for what felt like minutes, the sting from the impact lingering and immobilizing him.

Suddenly, something grabbed his ankle, snapping him back to reality. He kicked the hand away and tried to swim to the surface, but the current just dragged him deeper. He struggled towards the surface, and at last, broke it. He took one deep breath of air before being plunged back down.

The hand grabbed his leg, digging its sharp fingers into his armor. Tahu kicked at it again, but to no avail. Suddenly, Tahu smashed against something, forcing most of the air from his lungs. He was pinned; the current wouldn't let him go upstream, the hand wouldn't let him go to the surface, and whatever he hit wouldn't let him continue down the river. Darkness crept into the edge of his vision.

Just when he thought that he would drown, the grip on his leg disappeared. In his last moments of consciousness, he pushed himself up to the surface.

When he awoke, he was lying on the bank of the river, feeling thoroughly sore and beaten. He must've been thrown here by the current. He thanked Mata Nui for the first time since he first left his home island, before any of this had happened.

Despite having nearly drowned twice, Tahu was thirstier than ever. He crawled to the river, plunged his head in, and drank. It was warm, and tasted like dirt, but it was one of the best drinks he'd ever had.

When he finally drank his fill, Tahu stood up, and instantly fell down again. His head spun, and his vision still wasn't great. He looked at his left side, and remembered what had happened. He lost a lot of fluids from his arm hole. He didn't even remember that he lost an arm; all the chaos afterward dropped it from his mind.

He steeled himself and stood up again, slowly. He hobbled along the riverbank, hoping to find some sort of plant or animal living here. Even if he could only find another stick, he could at least try to use that for fishing.

An hour later, he saw something curled up on the bank. He dropped into a crouching position and approached it carefully, hoping it was some sort of edible Rahi.

But no. When he got closer, Tahu saw the spines and the head. It was the Turahk, beaten and broken. Most of it was dented, Tahu assumed from hitting rocks, as there had been a few areas of rapids in the river. The back compartment was slightly ajar, but no noises came from it. The Kraata must have died. Tahu ripped it open the rest of the way, and his suspicion was confirmed.

The Kraata was charred and waterlogged, looking more vile than if it were alive. But it was his only option. Tahu took the slug and bit into it.

He almost vomited, but there was nothing in his stomach the get rid of. Tahu pushed though the taste and texture, and five minutes later, the Kraata was no more. Tahu shivered, praying to Mata Nui that he could eventually find some real food.

Before he left, he dismantled the Rahkshi's body. He took the hollow head and put it on his own, wearing it as a hat. Hopefully it would keep the sun out of his eyes.

He also took one of the Rahkshi's arms and put it onto his shoulder. He was able to mesh with it slightly, but it was largely limp and useless.

He took some of the armor and strapped it over his chest and other shoulder. It wasn't nearly as light and tough as his Nuva armor, but at least it was something.

Lastly, he took the Rahkshi's staff. Having lost his stick and his oar, he needed something to defend himself with, in case he ever encountered anything like the Rahkshi again.

For five more days, he traversed the riverside. He was able to catch a couple of fish, and he even found some small plants. He was surviving, but what was the point if the desert went on forever?

Then, at last, the canyon started to widen out. The river dumped into the ocean. And it was distant, but Tahu could swear he saw a hint of green on the horizon.


	6. Chapter 6

Tahu leapt into the sea, its warm water soothing his sore muscles and revitalizing him. After struggling through the oppressive desert, the water was just what he needed.

He swam around the shore until the sun set, and the warm water became cool. He trudged back to the shore and laid on the sand, a much softer texture than the rest of the desert. He closed his eyes, and for the first time, slept soundly.

When he woke up, he stretched and readied himself to swim for the island he saw in the distance. It was nothing but a faint hint of green in an ocean of blue-green water. It might not even exist; Tahu had heard of Po-Matoran hallucinating oases when lost in the desert. Nevertheless, it was either swimming to the island or living the rest of his life on this tiny beach. It wasn't a hard decision.

Tahu dove back into the water and swam for the shore. To his relief, as he got closer, the green was more visible, becoming trees. He swam harder. Halfway across, his arms and legs grew tired. Eventually, he couldn't go any further. He gave one last kick, propelling him closer, and stopped, floating for a moment before sinking.

He expected that to be the end. But when Tahu sank, he only sank a few inches. The water was only shin-high. The realization reinvigorated Tahu, who pushed his weary limbs to their limit. He stood up and took a couple steps forward, out of the water and onto the beach. There were trees, but they weren't like the lush jungle of Le-Koro. They were… almost foreboding. Only some even had leaves on them.

Tahu looked around, before staggering to his knees. The exhaustion washed over him, and he collapsed, falling back asleep.

He awoke to the sound of wind whistling past him. When he opened his eyes, he was greeted by a much different sight than he remembered. Clouds covered the sky, and a harsh wind whipped the remaining leaves off the gnarled trees. If they looked foreboding when he first got here, now the forest was downright threatening.

But what was foliage to a master of fire? Mere firewood, Tahu mused. He got up, his muscles still aching. When he passed the thick, gnarled trees facing him, he found that the forest inside was far different. The trees were tall and thin, the bark a pale gray instead of a dark brown. Mottled red and yellow leaves scattered the floor, though a dense mist obscured the ground that wasn't directly in front of him.

Tahu readied his staff and gripped it tight, prepared for an attack from any direction. His feet crunched leaves and twigs under the mist, not giving him any chance at stealth. He tried climbing one of the trees, but the smoothness of the bark made it impossible to get a handhold, and the moisture from the mist made it too slippery to grip.

Tahu was about to start walking again, when he heard the crunch of leaves before his foot hit the ground. He whirled around, looking for the source of the noise. But there was nothing. Cautiously, Tahu kept on, until he finally came across a clearing.

Unlike the forest, which only had mist up to Tahu's knees, fog hung throughout the air in the clearing. It was impossible to see more than a foot ahead. Tahu blindly stumbled through, until he neared the other side, and the mist cleared. More footsteps could be heard behind him. Tahu gripped his staff and turned around.

Standing in the center of the clearing was a tall, thin monstrous-looking being. It had a hunched, spiked back, spindly arms and legs, a tail ending in a sharp spike, and six eyes. In its long fingers, it held a staff that Tahu could swear he saw before, somewhere.

It spoke, a low, soft sound. "Why have you come here, Toa?"

Tahu gathered his courage and replied. "I didn't-" His voice was raspy after not being used for so long. Tahu cleared his throat and tried again. "I didn't think anyone lived here. Just direct me to a more hospitable place, and I'll be on my way. But DON'T" - he pointed his staff at the creature - "try and stop me."

The creature tilted its head. "I disagree. You're here out of desperation. You hoped someone lived here. But unfortunately for you, you've stumbled onto a land that makes Karzhani look welcoming." It took a few steps forward. "Of course, you don't know what that place is. No matter. You will in time."

Tahu held his ground as the creature approached. He pointed his staff at its elongated neck. "What are you? How do you know about me?" he demanded.

"I see inside your head," the creature replied. "I will grant you what you wish, and send you back to your island. Never intrude here again."

At that, dozens of hands burst from the ground as Rahkshi climbed out of the soil. Tahu stabbed at one, unsuccessfully. The creature waved its staff, and Tahu was thrust back into sleep.

When he awoke, he was once again lying on a shore. He could see a volcano, a dense jungle, and a tall, icy mountain. He was home, on Mata Nui. But Tahu could feel something was deeply wrong.


	7. Chapter 7

Though the sun shone brightly onto Mata Nui, the air was chilly, like the borders of Ko-Koro. There was no noise coming from anywhere. There wasn't even any wind. The entire island was still.

Tahu wandered through the streets of Ta-Koro, the footpaths of Po-Koro, and the tunnels of Onu-Koro. By all accounts, he should have found someone, or even something, there. Le-Koro, once crawling with bugs and Rahi, was now completely devoid of any non-plant life. The same was true with everywhere else.

What had happened? Sure, the Matoran might have left for Metru Nui by now, but where are the Rahi? Something had to have happened here, and Tahu prayed that at least the Matoran could have made it out first.

Then, on his way to Ga-Koro, Tahu saw movement out of the corner of his eye. A Matoran, lying on the beach, slowly crawling away from the water. A Ta-Matoran with a yellow mask - Jaller. Tahu rushed over to help.

"Ta- Tahu?" Jaller gasped as he saw the Toa. "How are you here?"

"I don't know," Tahu replied as he propped Jaller against a rock. "But I'm the least of my concerns. What happened here?"

"How are you still alive? You were dead!" Jaller asked again, more forcefully.

"No, I was exiled. I never died."

Jaller shook his head. "I know what happened a year ago. But I saw you - your body was being carried by a huge troop of Rahkshi. The same Rahkshi who then killed most of us."

There was a lot of news there - first off, he had spent a year? He couldn't have - he counted the times the sun set during his exile, and it didn't even pass 100. The second piece of news hit Tahu harder.

"What do you mean? How- how many?" Tahu asked, not wanting to know the answer.

"Too many," Jaller replied. "I think I might be the only survivor."

Tears began to well beneath Jaller's eyes. Unsure of what to do, Tahu sat down next to him. There were so many emotions… pain, anger, and beneath it all, a twinge of justification. Mostly, he felt guilty. If he had never found that island, then he wouldn't have been sent back here, and the Rahkshi wouldn't have been awakened, and they wouldn't attack the Matoran on their journey.

The pair sat there until the sun drifted below the horizon, and the star-filled night enveloped them.

In the morning, Tahu and Jaller made their way into Ko-Koro. Though yesterday was bright, the sky was now perpetually gray. Though yesterday's air was chilled by a perpetual wind, there was no breeze whatsoever, even as the two climbed Mount Ihu.

While at the mountain's peak, Jaller looked over Ko-Koro. He motioned to Tahu.

"Hey, Tahu! Come look at this."

Tahu walked over. Jaller was pointing at the Ko-Koro village. Dug in the snow around it were letters, spelling out the word "Makuta".

Tahu and Jaller looked at each other.

"Looks like we know our next destination," Tahu mused.

The two made their way to Kini Nui, still in ruins from the Rahkshi attacks. Tahu descended into the tunnels, with Jaller close behind. Though the tunnels twisted often, Tahu somehow knew the directions to Makuta's lair.

The tunnels finally opened up, revealing an empty cavern. At the back of the cavern, green smoke seeped past the very large and heavy door to Makuta's lair - which was busted open. Tahu rushed towards the door, when something caught his eye.

Lying in the center of the cavern was something small and red. Tahu slowed down and crept toward it, not wanting to frighten it away in case it was a Rahi. But it never moved. As Tahu got closer, he realized it was a mask. Then, it hit him. Staring Tahu in the face was his old Hau Nuva, charred and beaten.


	8. Chapter 8

Tahu knelt down and picked up the mask. It was heavy, heavier than he remembered. He took off the Rahkshi head he used as a helmet and placed the mask on his face. He expected to feel a rush of energy as his power came back to him, but instead, it was more like drinking some cold water in the morning. The damage the mask sustained must've gotten rid of most of its power.

Tahu stood up, and looked at Jaller.

"It suits you," Jaller commented.

Tahu nodded. The two walked forward, until a noise from Makuta's chamber stopped them in their tracks.

Heavy footsteps echoed through the room. Finally - proof that _something_ on this island still moved. Tahu and Jaller slowly crept into the chamber, not wanting to alert anything to their presence.

They saw something silhouetted against the mist. It was tall, bulky, and carried a huge spear.

"So, Tahu. You've returned at last." It spoke, its voice deep and gravelly. "All too late."

There was a hint of sadness in its voice, now Tahu could tell.

"What are you?" Tahu asked.

"You might remember me as 'Makuta'," it replied. "Though now, I do not have a name. I am nothing, but not the same Nothing I once was."

Tahu and Jaller looked at each other. The Makuta they knew was cruel and ambitious, and delighted in violence. This Makuta seemed… defeated and depressed.

"What did you do to my island?" Jaller demanded. When no response came, he continued. "Was it not enough for you to destroy Ta-Koro? Did you also need to kill the rest of the island?" Still no response.

"Answer him!" Tahu demanded.

"Who?" Makuta asked. "There's no one here but us."

Tahu looked at Jaller, then Makuta, then back to Jaller - but he wasn't there. Tahu took a step back.

"Was that another one of your tricks?" Tahu accused.

"No. I have no power anymore. Your insanity is purely yours."

Makuta had to be tricking him. Normally, Tahu would launch into an attack by now, but he was just too tired. He took a deep breath. "Okay. What happened here? Why is the island so still?"

Makuta sighed. "When the Matoran left, it was like they took the life of the island with them. The Rahi ran away, the sun stopped shining, the wind and the seas raged for days before finally ceasing. Even my pools of Energized Protodermis lost their power. Then, so did I."

Makuta sat down, leaning on a shattered glass pillar. "I plan to stay here, and waste away for all eternity. You are welcome to the same punishment."

"Punishment?" Tahu asked. "I don't deserve punishment! I didn't do anything wrong!" He might have been tired, but his anger was flaring up again.

"But you did. You killed someone. You broke your precious Code. We're quite alike, now. I, punished for breaking the Makuta's purpose. You, for violating yours. Poetic." Makuta laughed, a sad noise.

Tahu clenched his fists. "We're not alike at all."

"You can't ignore it… Makuta Tahu."

At that, Tahu couldn't take it anymore. He took out his spear and shoved it straight into Makuta's chest.

Almost.

Just as it was about to penetrate Makuta's heart, he stopped. The tip hovered just above the gray armor. Tahu pulled the spear back and tossed it aside.

"No," Tahu stated simply. He sat down across from the Master of Shadows, and sighed. Neither said another word.

The chamber was still and silent, just like the rest of the island.


	9. Epilogue

_Author's note: This ending is not necessarily true. If you would prefer to think that everything that happened to Tahu was real, then that is canon. If you like this conclusion, it is canon. I just know that some people don't really like endings where everything turned out to be a dream, so I'm giving you the option of it being one or not._

Tahu awoke, lying on a dark stretch of land. He took in his surroundings. He was on a beach, a very rocky one at that. He could hear waves lapping against the shore, and he realized he was on an island. But something was missing… he could've sworn there was a giant tower here at one point…

But how could he know that? He'd never been here before. He had just washed ashore here, after all.

Tahu shrugged and got back on his feet. He walked back to his boat, being careful not to trip on any rocks. He sailed onwards, still needing to complete the mission he was tasked with by the Turaga.

Tahu didn't remember his nightmare… but the scars would never fade, even if he didn't know they existed.


End file.
